“No one. I keep that to myself. Did it help you feel better?”
“Nah, but I appreciate the attempt. And your presence.”
“I don’t typically deal with patrons outside of the club, but you seem alright.”
Khalif smirked. “‘Preciate it.”
four
. . .
“Where am I taking you?”Aurora asked as they exited the burger joint and went back to her sports car that could barely house his large frame. “Is there a condo you want to hide out in or…”
It wasn’t that she wanted him out of her space, it was the complete opposite. However, with the gravity of what had just occurred, Aurora didn’t want to seem pretentious or appear to be a ‘pick me’. She wasn’t either.
“Trying to get rid of me already?” Khalif rumbled, his eyes automatically finding the swing of her hips as she sauntered away in the slate blue off-the-shoulder satin dress that complemented her form. His mind was loaded with questions, and if he had more time in her space, there would be answers and possible distractions.
“Figured you might need some time to process all of this. And my car isn’t big enough to be driving you all over town.”
Khalif smirked from the other side of the car and peered at her. “True. So you kicking it?”
Aurora laughed more so to herself.
“I need a laugh, too,” Khalif’s voice sounded off again.
Opening the car door, she began climbing in to fire up the engine. Once Khalif joined her inside, they were almost shoulder-to-shoulder again. “My grandmother says very often that kicking it gets you eighteen years of headache. And in her case, double that.”
“I’m a gentleman, though,” Khalif countered, turning slightly to look at her as she backed out of the space and pulled off. “Honestly, I’m just not trying to be alone. Left with my thoughts and devices. That shit’s dangerous.”
“Just company?”
“Just company. If you’re up to it, I’m not trying to hold you hostage.”
“Shouldn’t you know my name before you take me home? Aren’t there some rules of engagement or something?”
Khalif chuckled softly. “We did sit through a whole impromptu meal and didn’t even think of that.”
“You made it easy,” she thought, but saved her comment. The rules were the same inside the strip club and outside of it. Always maintain control.
Instead, she agreed. “Sure didn’t, so I’m your JoyRide until we establish that. Where am I headed to?”
“Ranchers Valley,” he responded, earning him a shocked expression. The smile he fought to contain felt out of place considering all that had transpired in the last day and a half. “What? You were expecting an oceanfront condo or LO penthouse?”
“I mean, it would fit the overall theme.”
“What’s the overall theme?”
“Pro baller, the lifestyle that a pro baller is expected to have. Bachelor pads, hidden places in the city… You know the theme.”
“Was that Johnny Walker’s theme?”
“Absolutely was. I’m sure I have brothers and sisters I know nothing about,” Aurora shared. “He was also a single man and never brought a woman around me, so there’s that.”
Khalif hummed. “Well, considering I’m supposed to be married right now, no bachelor lifestyle or attempting to hold on to one.”
Aurora hummed, saving her questions until they arrived at the destination he gave her step-by-step directions to. Once parked outside of the ranch-style home twenty minutes out of the city, Khalif removed himself from her car and took a much-needed stretch. He closed the door, not saying a word until he was at the driver’s side, his large hands pressed on top of the sleek, black-painted 1992 Honda NSX.
“Khalif Solomon Wright,” he spoke smoothly.
